New Online Security Law Comes Into Effect In China

New Online Security Law Comes Into Effect In China

User data must now be stored in China

Tight new online security laws have come into effect in China, designed to ban the selling of users’ personal information. Businesses in the country must now store any collected user data on servers located within China, with users being able to demand the deletion of their data. However, the law has been met by controversy, after the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China wrote a letter to the Cyberspace Administration of China saying that it would lead to "great uncertainties and compliance risks". The Chinese authorities have hit back against opponents to the bill, saying that it is intended to “safeguard national cyber-space sovereignty and national security”, not restrict foreign enterprises. The law comes just after a separate announcement that government licenses will be required for all news companies.